sell
1to transfer (goods) to or render (services) for another in exchange for money; dispose of to a purchaser for a price: He sold the car to me for $1000.
to deal in; keep or offer for sale: He sells insurance. This store sells my favorite brand.
to make a sale or offer for sale to: He'll sell me the car for $1000.
to persuade or induce (someone) to buy something: The salesman sold me on a more expensive model than I wanted.
to persuade or induce someone to buy (something): The clerk really sold the shoes to me by flattery.
to make sales of: The hot record sold a million copies this month.
to cause to be accepted, especially generally or widely: to sell an idea to the public.
to cause or persuade to accept; convince: to sell the voters on a candidate.
to accept a price for or make a profit of (something not a proper object for such action): to sell one's soul for political power.
to force or exact a price for: The defenders of the fort sold their lives dearly.
Informal. to cheat, betray, or hoax.
to engage in selling something: Investment advisors agree that it’s time to sell.
to be sold; to draw sales: His album is selling well.The game sold poorly in Japan.
to offer something for sale: I like this house—will they sell?
to be employed to persuade or induce others to buy, as a salesperson or a clerk in a store: One sister is a cashier and the other sells.
to have a specific price; be offered for sale at the price indicated (followed by at or for): Eggs used to sell at sixty cents a dozen. This shirt sells for thirty dollars.
to be in demand by buyers: On a rainy day, umbrellas really sell.
to win acceptance, approval, or adoption: Here's an idea that'll sell.
an act or method of selling: Your home could be a profitable sell.
Stock Exchange. a security to be sold.
Informal. a cheat; hoax.
sell off, to sell, especially at reduced prices, in order to get rid of: The city is selling off a large number of small lots at public auction.
sell out,
to dispose of entirely by selling: They sold out of Johnny's brownies before the bake sale was half over.
to betray (an associate, one's country, one’s principles, a cause, etc.): He would never sell out to the enemy.
sell up, British. to sell out: She was forced to sell up her entire stock of crystal.
Idioms about sell
sell someone a bill of goods, Informal. bill of goods (def. 3).
sell short. short (def. 50).
Origin of sell
1synonym study For sell
Other words for sell
Opposites for sell
Other words from sell
- sell·a·ble, adjective
Words Nearby sell
Other definitions for sell (2 of 2)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use sell in a sentence
On Earth, claiming that an environment is lifeless is a tough scientific sell.
Missing Antarctic microbes raise thorny questions about the search for aliens | Elise Cutts | July 20, 2021 | Science NewsBig Tech has made that a hard sell in America, simply because the companies have created so much value for consumers.
What does breaking up Big Tech really mean? | James Surowiecki | June 30, 2021 | MIT Technology ReviewAt the full retail price of $249, these can be a tough sell.
So it wasn’t a hard sell when the North Face asked Chin, who has been sponsored by the company for 20 years, to colead its new Explore Fund Council.
This will be a hard sell for many minorities who already have low homeownership rates, in large part because of housing discrimination.
Covid forced more borrowers to be late on their mortgages than at any time since the Great Recession, CFPB reports | Michelle Singletary | May 7, 2021 | Washington Post
The Dallas Cowboys sell out their state-of-the art football stadium.
As more people come online, the most basic tasks—such as going out to the market to sell produce—will become more efficient.
Along the Prado they used to sell slaves on the auction block, too.
The Life and Hard Times Of The Family A Cuban Defector Left Behind | Brin-Jonathan Butler | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAs for the political class, I doubt I need to give you a very hard sell on its failure.
The U.S. Will Torture Again—and We’re All to Blame | Michael Tomasky | December 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTQuestion 9: If the female captive was impregnated by her owner, can he then sell her?
He couldn't sell them; he couldn't burn them; he was even compelled to insure them, to his intense disgust.
The Pit Town Coronet, Volume I (of 3) | Charles James WillsThose four pictures—I would not sell those four Watteaus for one hundred thousand francs.
Checkmate | Joseph Sheridan Le FanuHe thought these things over carefully and finally decided that he would sell them himself.
The Homesteader | Oscar MicheauxFor an Indian to sell a horse and wagon in the San Jacinto valley was not an easy thing, unless he would give them away.
Ramona | Helen Hunt JacksonFor us to take her place it became necessary for us to loan before we could sell and buy.
Readings in Money and Banking | Chester Arthur Phillips
British Dictionary definitions for sell
/ (sɛl) /
to dispose of or transfer or be disposed of or transferred to a purchaser in exchange for money or other consideration; put or be on sale
to deal in (objects, property, etc): he sells used cars for a living
(tr) to give up or surrender for a price or reward: to sell one's honour
to promote or facilitate the sale of (objects, property, etc): publicity sells many products
to induce or gain acceptance of: to sell an idea
(intr) to be in demand on the market: these dresses sell well in the spring
(tr) informal to deceive or cheat
(tr foll by on) to persuade to accept or approve (of): to sell a buyer on a purchase
sell down the river informal to betray
sell oneself
to convince someone else of one's potential or worth
to give up one's moral or spiritual standards, etc
sell short
informal to disparage or belittle
finance to sell securities or goods without owning them in anticipation of buying them before delivery at a lower price
Origin of sell
1Derived forms of sell
- sellable, adjective
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with sell
In addition to the idioms beginning with sell
- sell a bill of goods
- sell down the river
- sell like hot cakes
- sell off
- sell oneself
- sell out
- sell short
- sell someone on
also see:
- hard sell
- like hot cakes, sell
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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